


Even Death May Die

by meeda



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood Drinking, Blood and Gore, Child Loss, F/M, Forced Marriage, Happy Ending, Loss of Virginity, Magic, Marriage of Convenience, Minor Character Death, Murder, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Reincarnation, Sorcerers, Spanking, Vaginal Fingering, Vampires, Violence, also lots of baths, and other victorian gothic vampiric shinanigans, with a peppering of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 04:20:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21191465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meeda/pseuds/meeda
Summary: Long ago, Ben was living a contented life with his loving wife and unborn child. Until one day, a sorcerer ripped it all away from him. The sorcerer gave Ben a choice: die along with his family or live forever for the chance to search for his reincarnated wife through the ages. The choice was easy. Ben finally finds her in Victorian-era England, but can he convince her to love the monster he's become?





	1. To Walk in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AuroraNoirInStardust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraNoirInStardust/gifts).

> This is for AuroraNoirInStardust! Hope you like it, lovey :) 
> 
> TW: There are mentions of pregnancy and a brief mention of child loss in this chapter.

_ English Countryside - 1450 _

His wife had to be insane for forcing him to be awake at this hour. The sun was barely peeking through the hills. Her soft brown hair was glistening in the morning light as she led him into the woods. The warmth of her hands in his eased the prickly annoyance he felt at having his sleep cut short. The air was still; the grass soft beneath his feet. 

A ways into the forest, she stopped in a clearing. His wife turned and leveled him with a wicked grin before planting a kiss across his lips. 

“If you wanted a romp with your husband, we could’ve stayed in bed, my love,” he groaned against her mouth. 

“Ben…”

“Honestly, Kira. If a rut against a tree is what you desire, I won’t deny you the experience,” Ben jested as his hands wrapped around her waist. 

Her warm laugh blew across his cheek. He loved making her laugh. They had been married only a year and already Kira was more valuable to him that any amount of gold, land, or power.

“That’s not all I brought you here for, husband,” she said, nuzzling his jaw. 

“Kira, please no more games. What is this all about?”

The leaves crunched under her feet as she stepped back from him and further into the clearing. She spun slowly with her arms wide, her face tilted up towards the light. Ben watched as her dress flared around her bare feet. Kira stopped spinning and gestured to their surroundings with a wave of her hand.

“Do you not recognize this place?” 

Ben tore his gaze from Kira and looked around the clearing. The sun was beginning to shine through the green-covered branches, casting the space in an unearthly glow. A small pathway led deeper into the forest on one end of the little grove; the other end was overgrown with wild berries. Of course he recognized it. 

“It’s where we first met. I was standing just there when a little scrap of a girl came barreling through that pathway and knocked me off my feet. She followed me all the way to the village, clutching to my tunic and refusing to speak the whole way there.”

Kira walked back over to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, “I was scared and hungry. I’d been running for two days by the time I found you.” 

“I’m only teasing, love. That day changed my life for the better,” Ben said softly. He kissed the top of her head and sighed. “So, are you finally going to tell me why we had to trudge all the way out here?” 

“Because, what I’m about to tell you is going to change your life again...forever.” 

Ben leaned back to look her in the eyes. Worry etching his features. “What is it?” 

Kira took his hand and placed it low on her belly. The smile on her face grew as she explained, “It won’t be just the two of us in a few months time.” 

As the words sunk in, Ben’s heart began to race. He was going to be a father. A rush of warmth coursed through him from head to toe. Part fear, part elation. They were truly going to be a family. Ben’s vision blurred as tears began to well in his eyes.

“Oh, my brilliant girl!” He picked up Kira and spun her around with a wail of joy. Their laughter echoed through the trees. After he placed her down, Ben knelt to gently kiss her stomach. 

Looking up to meet Kira’s hazel eyes, he asked, “How long have you known?” 

“I went to the midwife to confirm it yesterday,” she giggled, her hands on his shoulders. 

Ben smiled before his brows knit together in concern. “How are you feeling? Not too poorly?” 

“I feel exceedingly happy and well. Now, get up,” she said, rolling her eyes at him. Ben stood tall and kissed her lips once again.

“Elderberries!” He quickly jumped away from her and ran over to the bushes across the clearing. “We need elderberries!” 

“Really, Ben, this is a special moment for us and all you can think about it eating?”

As he picked the berries off the bush, he explained, “My mother told me that eating elderberries brings good luck. I think now is the best time to stock up on our luck, don’t you?” 

Ben gathered a handful of berries and brought them to Kira. He grabbed one and pushed it past her lips. Kira smiled at him warmly as she chewed, a hum of satisfaction escaping her. Some of the juice gathered in the corner of her mouth. Ben looked down and reached into his coat pocket to grab his handkerchief.

When he looked back up, Kira had gone ashen pale. Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and her body collapsed against him. He knelt down and laid her out against the ground, his eyes scanning over her frantically for injury. 

“Kira? Kira?! Wake up, sweetheart!” 

Ben couldn’t understand. He looked at the berries in his hand to confirm he hadn’t picked the wrong kind in his excitement. Four elderberries sat in his palm. He had not made a mistake. White, frothy bubbles began to spill over Kira’s lips. Ben held down her arms as convulsions wracked her body.

“Kira! Stay with me, love. I-I’ll get someone to help!”

A deep laugh rumbled across the clearing. Ben stood and quickly drew his sword, planting himself in front of Kira. A hooded figure emerged from the other side of the bushes. Dark robes adorned its form. Long, withered fingers reached out from a tattered sleeve and stroked the berries lovingly. Ben couldn’t see their face.

“Show yourself! Take down that hood at once! My wife - she - she’s in desperate need of help.” 

The figure turned slowly with a chuckle. It reached up and peeled the hood of its head. In the light, Ben saw a man with a cold face, wrinkled skin, and covered in scars. Piercing eyes met his own. This wasn’t just any man, this was the Sorcerer Snoke. The nightmare described to unruly children to keep them from wandering into the forest alone. The old sorcerer spoke. “There’s no saving your wife now. The poison has already taken hold of her.” 

“Poison? You poisoned those berries.” Ben raised his sword towards Snoke’s throat. “Why?”

“Villagers kept sneaking onto my lands and eating them. If you lot want to act like vermin, then I’ll treat you like vermin!” With a wave of the sorcerer’s hand, Ben’s sword was flung into the trees. 

Ben knelt back down to hold Kira’s now still body in his lap. Tears streaming down his cheeks. “Please, I’m begging you! Use your magic to save my wife. I can’t lose her; I love her.”

“If you loved her so much, then why didn’t you eat a berry first? Huh? A man looking to protect the things he loves shouldn’t be so trusting of the world,” Snoke said smugly. 

Guilt and anger boiled in Ben’s gut. He rocked Kira’s body as he fought the tears to speak again. “What can I do? There must be something I can do to convince you to save them.”

Snoke raised an eyebrow. “Them?”

“She’s pregnant,” Ben said as he smoothed Kira’s hair away from her face. 

“Nothing can be done for the babe. Magic doesn’t allow me to bring back a life that relies on another to survive.” 

Ben sobbed into his wife’s shoulder. Whispering apologies to her for not protecting their child. 

The sorcerer sighed in annoyance, “However, your wife can live...for a price.”

“Anything! I’ll give anything to save her!”

“Even your mortal soul?”

Taking a deep breath, Ben kissed Kira on the forehead and stood to make his way over to the sorcerer. He had failed them. He would willingly give his life to give her another chance at living hers. “Yes.” 

Snoke twisted the ring on his finger as he considered Ben. After what felt like ages, Snoke finally came to a decision. “Very well. Stand back.” He flicked his fingers and Ben’s body flew across the air until he collided with a tree. With a grunt, Ben landed on the ground.

Ben watched as Snoke stood over Kira’s lifeless body. He felt helpless as the sorcerer mumbled an incantation. "_Vita nova, novus tempus. _” Bright-blue mist engulfed Kira and Snoke. The light coming off the mist was blinding and Ben had to shield his eyes. 

In that moment, Ben prayed. He prayed that the sorcerer’s magic would work. He prayed that Kira would wake up safe. He prayed that she would have a happy life after he was gone. 

The blue light faded.

Time stood still as Ben lowered his arm. 

Snoke stood alone. 

“Where is she? What did you do with _ my wife _?! You promised me you’d save her,” Ben screamed and lunged towards Snoke. He’d rip the man limb-from-limb to avenge Kira. 

Snoke grabbed Ben by the neck. “I said she would live, I never specified where or when. She will be reborn and it will be your responsibility to find her again.”

Grasping at Snoke’s wrist, Ben asked, “But, I promised you my life. How can I find her if I am dead?”

Another dark chuckle came from Snoke. “No, boy. You promised me your mortal soul, not your life. Death shall elude you for the rest of your days! _ Sanguis perpetua. _” 

With a flash of movement, Snoke pinned Ben to the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs. Ben struggled against his grip, but stopped short when he saw a set of fangs in Snoke’s mouth. Before he could piece together what kind of monster Snoke truly was, Snoke leaned over him and latched onto his throat with his mouth. A sharp pang bloomed across Ben’s neck. His vision began to fade into darkness, his muscles going lax. Snoke brought his head back up with a hiss. 

“Drink, boy. Drink or die; it’s up to you,” Snoke muttered. Ben felt the press of cold skin against his lips, something sticky coating them. Blood. “If you want the chance to find your wife, you’ll drink.” 

Ben began to weakly suck at the blood flowing from Snoke’s wrist. The copper taste of it coating his mouth and throat. Tingles spread through his fingers and toes and he released a moan. Snoke ripped his wrist away from his mouth. 

“Enough! That’s plenty to regain your strength. Go back to your village and find some lowly whore or dying orphan to drain. The spell will be complete when you do. Until then, you’ll experience excruciating pain, so make haste,” Snoke said. His face was now smooth and young.

Snoke pulled his hood back up and slunk into the shadows with a dark laugh. 

As a wave of pain ran through Ben’s body, he wailed, “KIRA!”

******************

_ English Countryside - 1851 _

Rey VonNiima awoke from her nightmare with a scream. The taste of elderberries in her mouth.


	2. To Watch From The Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who is Lord Ren,” Rey asked timidly. 
> 
> Paige laughed and exclaimed, “You don’t know?! Why, he’s all the town can talk about these days.”
> 
> Rose hushed her sister. “She only just got to town. Of course she wouldn’t know.”
> 
> With a solemn expression, she launched into the tale...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been months since I updated this, this is only Chapter 2, and I already have to warn y’all to mind the tags. I'm a mess.
> 
> Come talk to me on Twitter! @MeedaWrites :) 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: There is an unsuccessful sexual assault at the end of this chapter. I’ll put a summary of the plot points of his chapter in the end notes if you want to skip this one.

The townsfolk could often be heard whispering about the strange VonNiima girl. 

She had been left at the front gate of the VonNiima household as a babe, swaddled in a dark black robe. Rumors swirled that she was Mr. VonNiima’s by-blow, left behind by a spurned mother tired of caring for her. Darker rumors spread when both Mr. and Mrs. VonNiima died of fever a few years later. The town expected the girl to be sent to a workhouse, having no family of her own.

Instead, the local pub was teeming with chatter about a stern governess that appeared at the home three days after the VonNiimas were buried. She was as tall as a man and never smiled. Speculation about how on earth the VonNiimas had saved enough money to hire a governess after their death kept the town busy for quite a while. 

The governess rarely took the child out of the house; the only exception was on Sundays for church. Holding hands as they walked to the church gates, the pair looked quite a sight. Cream lace bounced with each step the girl took as she was led by the governess who was swathed in black skirts, wearing a pair of dark spectacles across the bridge of her nose, and holding a parasol. At the gates, the governess would stop and wave the girl inside, never stepping inside the holy place herself.

Neighboring families would gossip about the pair in the marketplace. While picking through potatoes and carrots, they would regale the vendors with stories of overhearing the girl’s cries at night. The poor dear suffered from night terrors it would seem.

The town children avoided the little VonNiima girl at all costs. She was too slim and too pale, with dark circles under her eyes. They all thought she was cursed. In their minds, there was no other explanation for a child with dead parents.

When she was seven, some older boys happened upon her on the road near her home. She had been chasing butterflies in a nearby field, but a distinct rumble in her stomach encouraged her to go back to the house. They sneered and threw rocks at her. The next day, a carriage was out in front of the VonNiima home, being filled with the girl’s belongings. Mrs. Downing claimed the driver was to take the girl to a boarding school in another township, and a claim from Mrs. Downing was never wrong.

* * *

Rey VonNiima calmed herself and wiped the sleep from her eyes. 

_ It was just another bad dream. _

The sun wasn’t up yet. Moonlight still illuminated the curtains that fluttered with the breeze from her open window. There was no going back to sleep for her now. Rey’s carriage was arriving in the morning to take her to London. She decided to start packing. With a little whine, she rolled out of bed and lit a candle. The room illuminated in a warm glow.

The harsh cold of the hardwood hitting the bottom of her feet caused her to shiver. She tiptoed to the closet and pulled out a few dresses to pack for her journey. They were simply cut but made of quality materials, and all a similar hue of pale cream. Headmistress Lovelace had been completely put out when a nameless donor sent them to the school with the instruction that they’d be fitted to Rey’s figure.

Rey had the common sense to act mortified when the other girls asked if she was secretly engaged to a London man. One schoolmate, Kaydel, was awarded a gasp when she wondered aloud if Rey feigned her night terrors in order to get a bedroom all to herself for nightly trysts. She wasn’t used to this much attention from her classmates. 

Rose had shushed them and waved them away to give Rey some space. When they were alone, Rey confessed the gift was unexpected, but flattering and altogether not unwelcome. Rose mused if an engagement ring would be sent to the school before they were to be off to London next month. The girls shared sheepish grins with one another at tea time that afternoon. 

Rey’s lips pulled into a small smile. Rose was her dearest friend at school. She would forever be grateful for the brave girl who took one look at Rey upon her dreary arrival to the Lovelace School for Young Ladies and decided to befriend her. From the beginning of their friendship, the small girl with raven dark hair was the more outspoken of the two. That’s why there was little argument to be had when Rose suggested that Rey come stay with her family in London when their studies concluded. Rose had gone home a week prior to make arrangements for Rey’s arrival. 

Walking back to the bed, Rey yawned as she laid the silken garments on top of the duvet. They felt soft as butter when she lovingly ran her hands across the fabric. It was still befuddling who might have gifted her such lovely pieces. She hardly met anybody outside of the school, let alone any men who would be willing and able to lay down coin to see her dressed in finery. Surely the young man who delivered milk and cheeses to the school couldn't afford such a thing. No, all he could give her was a tip of his cap and a knowing smile that caused a little blush to grace her cheeks whenever it was directed her way. 

A sharp gust of wind broke Rey from her reverie.

She scurried to the window. Lord help her if a storm was brewing. Her journey to London would no doubt be made miserable if it rained. Imagine if she had to greet the Tico family and thank them for their generosity while wearing muddied skirts! Looking up into the sky, she was relieved to see not clouds, but stars. Rey sighed and looked down to the gardens below. 

The garden walkway shone under the moon. During the day, the paths were simple, grey stone; but on nights like this they would glow almost blue. It occurred to Rey that this was to be her last evening at the Lovelace School for Young Ladies. This would be her last time looking out this window. 

A movement in the shadows caught her eye. 

Rey leaned out of the window to search for what could be out in the gardens, but saw only stoic trees and bushes. Then, she glimpsed it: a shadow of something standing amongst the flowers. Something quite large. Was it a man? The wind blew again, causing her hair to whip over her eyes. Huffing, she pushed it back and looked for the shadow again, but it was nowhere to be seen. 

Biting her lip, she shook her head and closed the window. Rey figured it must be the lack of sleep playing tricks with her mind. She returned to packing and planned to catch up on her sleep in the carriage later that day.

* * *

As it turned out, the rough country roads did not lend themselves to sleeping. Rey could feel her hat bob as she watched the farmland and little villages pass by the carriage window. After half a day’s ride, the pastures changed to brick buildings. If she craned her neck, she could see the plumes of smoke rising from the factories downtown. Her heart raced at the thought of living in a bustling city for the first time. 

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of a large townhouse that took up an entire corner block. This particular part of town was lovely, indeed. Flowers adorned iron gates that led to sturdy brick homes. Couples strolled along the sidewalks and exchanged pleasantries. She leaned her head back against the headrest and nervously smoothed out her skirts. 

The driver opened the door and helped her step down. When she looked up, Rey saw Rose walking over to greet her. Behind her, the rest of the Tico family were standing at the top of the stairs leading to the entrance of the house, waiting to receive her. 

Rose wrapped her in a hug. 

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re finally here! You must be exhausted,” she said. 

“Only a little tired. Thank you again for inviting me. I don’t know where I would’ve gone when—“

“Now stop that! My family is happy to have you stay as long as you need. Come, let’s introduce you and get you settled,” Rose said, taking Rey’s hand and leading her up the steps. 

Mr. Tico, Rose’s father, held out his hand and gave Rey’s a firm shake. Just once. 

“Ah, this must be the Rey VonNiima we’ve been hearing so much about. Welcome, my dear. I trust your journey from school was uneventful?”

“Yes, it was quite peaceful. Thank you, Mr. Tico.” 

“No need to stand on propriety, Miss VonNiima. You can call me Hue.”

Rey could see that Rose inherited her height, or lack thereof, from her father. He was stout with a big belly that pushed out his waistcoat and a large, black mustache. Hue’s eyes twinkled, another trait Rose had inherited. 

He turned and gestured towards the two women behind him and said, “This is my wife Thanya and my other daughter Paige.” 

Where Hue and Rose were all soft lines and pleasant smiles, Rey noticed the two ladies were quite the opposite. Not that they were unpleasant, per say. Thanya and her daughter were taller and lithe, their faces more angular and pinched. Rey imagined they would have no problem posing for a stoic portrait should the occasion present itself. 

Paige nodded her head towards Rey and said, “Hello, Miss VonNiima.”

Thanya took her hand in much the same way Hue had, though a twinge less enthusiastically, and cooed,“Welcome to our home, dear.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Rose has told me so much about you. Please, call me Rey.” 

With a wave of his arms, Hue ushered them all back into the house. He placed a hand on Rose and Rey’s shoulders and said, “Rose, my dumpling, why don’t you show Rey upstairs to her room so she can prepare for supper?” 

“Yes, Papa.” 

Rey saw Paige pout and then turn to her mother. Thanya simply closed her eyes and shook her head. With that, Paige stormed down a hallway leading to another part of the house. Rose took Rey’s elbow and they made their way upstairs.

* * *

Up in the room, Rey and Rose unpacked her belongings. 

“Don’t mind Paige. She’s just put out because Papa gave her room to you and told her to stay in the guest room.” 

Rey whirled around from where she was placing hairbrushes and various toiletries on the vanity.

“Why on earth would he do that? I couldn’t possibly take Paige’s room from her! Really, I don’t require much.” 

“She’ll be fine; don’t you dare worry about her. Besides, she’s getting married to Armie in less than a month. Soon, she’ll be managing her own household and can sleep wherever she pleases there,” Rose waved her off with a smirk as she busied herself putting away Rey’s nightgowns. 

Rey sat down at the vanity mirror and lit a candle. The sun was beginning to go down and she needed some type of light if she was ever going to make herself decent for supper this evening. She began to unpin her hat and loosen her hair.

Rose took the last of the dresses out of Rey’s trunk and sighed, “I still wonder who on earth bought these for you. What kind of man buys a woman dresses to never see her wear them? Are you certain no man came to call on you at the school?” 

“I’m certain. Unless you count the ghost I saw in the gardens last night.”

“Pardon?”

“It might have been an animal, perhaps. But, last night, I could have sworn I saw a man standing outside below my window. He was there and then he was gone,” Rey whispered. 

“Only you could see a man half in love with you and imagine him a specter, Rey VonNiima,” Rose exclaimed, shutting the dresser drawer with a loud _ thunk _. 

“Did it ever cross your mind that it was your secret admirer hoping for one, last glance of you before you departed for the city,” Rose asked with a flourish, pretending to faint across Rey’s bed. 

Rey giggled, “Don’t tease me, you ninny! It was late and my imagination probably ran away with me. For all I know, it was a deer.”

“Well, you won’t find any deer wandering our garden. You do get a beautiful view of it from your balcony,” Rose said and glided over to the double doors to open them. A faint scent of hydrangea drifted into the room. Rose came back to stand behind Rey at the vanity.

“Supper should be ready in an hour. You’ll get to meet Armie tonight, as well. Prepare to watch him and my sister compete to see who can pull the smuggest facial expression.” 

Rey giggled to herself as Rose left the room. She brushed through her hair and selected a dress to change into. Yawning, she removed her traveling dress. The smell of the flowers drew her attention to the balcony. She had some time before supper. The sun had just set and a cool breeze was blowing from beyond the double doors. Perhaps some fresh air would wake her up a bit. 

Stepping into the balcony in only her shift, Rey peeked to see if anyone was in the modest garden below. Luckily, it was uninhabited and did not face the road. A little sanctuary from the city just beyond its walls. It certainly wasn’t as vast as the one at school, but it boasted a large, blossoming tree just out of Rey’s reach. The blooms smelled heavenly. Rey closed her eyes and breathed in a deep sigh. 

When her eyes fluttered open again, she gasped. Two red, glowing orbs were staring at her from the branches. Rey turned to grab something, anything to defend herself from whatever devilish beast was in the tree. A flowerpot sitting on the ledge was the first thing she saw. Grabbing it and holding it above her shoulder, she pivoted. She was ready to throw the pot at a moment’s notice. However, when Rey looked with all intention to aim for the beast, there was nothing there.

She blinked a couple times to make sure it was well and truly gone. Content that there was no such animal in the tree, she returned the flower pot from whence it came and went back inside. With a click, she locked the double doors and made to get dressed. 

She would have to ask Rose if there was a particular breed of owl in the city known to have red eyes.

* * *

Dinner was positively lavish in the Tico household. Rey’s eyes widened when course after course was served, each plateful more elegant than the last. She needed to hold back a gasp more than once, in fear of catching the attention of the others, especially Paige’s fiancé Armitage Hux. 

When they were introduced moments before they sat to dine, Armitage had kissed Rey’s hand a fraction too long for her comfort. His eyes had raked over her figure before he complimented her dress. A snobbish sneer graced his face when she told him of the township she had grown up in after he asked. In Rey’s mind, Armitage was altogether loathsome. Though he seemed a good match for Paige. 

As the dessert course was being served, conversation turned to the couple’s engagement party taking place the next evening. 

Paige was excitedly listing all the details of tomorrow’s soirée: “...and the flowers will arrive in the morning. Mama, were you able to book the opera singer?”

Thanya confirmed with a solemn nod that she had, in fact, procured the famous soprano.

“Word has it she can shatter a champagne glass with her voice! Oh, Armie, wouldn’t we be the talk of the town?”

Paige wrapped her hand around Armie’s bicep. He slowly plucked it off and made her rest it back in her lap, earning him a pout.

“Calm yourself, my love. You’ll get indigestion,” he said crisply. 

Hue cleared his throat awkwardly. 

Rey placed her spoon down and asked, “How many people are you expecting tomorrow?”

Paige leveled her attention on Rey.

“It will be a rather small affair; only about 50 or so. However, I intend for this to be the party of the season. All of the most well-known families in London responded that they’ll come.”

“_All _ of them, Paige? I must have missed when the Queen decided to grace our home,” Rose teased. 

Paige sniffed haughtily. “No, the Queen was not invited. Though if she did have a mind to attend, I suppose we could accommodate her.” 

Armie rolled his eyes in annoyance and Hue shook his head. Rey had to look down at her melting ice cream to stop herself from breaking into a giggle. 

Rose lifted a dark eyebrow and continued, “And what of the mysterious Lord Ren? As I recall, it’s been your life’s mission to convince him to attend.” 

“Oh, that man! I’ve sent three invitations to the manor this month and do you think I got one word back? It just goes to show that money can’t buy you manners,” Paige huffed, popping a berry into her mouth. 

“Who is Lord Ren,” Rey asked timidly. 

Silverware clinked as everyone at the table turned to look at Rey. Paige laughed and exclaimed, “You don’t know?! Why, he’s all the town can talk about these days.”

Rose hushed her sister. “She only just got to town. Of course she wouldn’t know.”

“Would anyone care to enlighten me?”

With a solemn expression that looked almost ridiculous on such a sweet face, Rose patted her mouth with her napkin and launched into the tale.

“There’s a giant house not too far from here called Reveles Manor. For as long as I can remember, it has sat empty. No tenets to speak of.”

“It was even empty when I was a boy,” Hue supplied. “We would dare each other to slip through the gate and touch the knocker on the door. None of us did manage it, of course. We all thought it was haunted.” 

Rose nodded and continued. 

“Yes, it was very strange. No one lived there but the grounds were nicely kept up. Every Spring the windows were opened and you could spy a servant or two cleaning. Somebody clearly didn’t want the house to go into ruin.”

“Seems a silly thing to spend money on if no one is in residence to appreciate it,” Rey mused.

“All these years, and not a soul was seen. Until two months ago, while you and I were still at school. Paige wrote to tell me the manor finally had an inhabitant.” 

At the mention of her name, Paige took it upon herself to continue the story.

“I could hardly believe my eyes as Armie and I were taking a stroll. We had just run into our friend Snap Wexley and we were informing him of our engagement when a _ massive _, black carriage turned down the road and went straight through the open gates of the manor. I barely managed to catch a glimpse of him when he stepped out. He was very tall indeed and dressed all in black. Quite mysterious.”

Armie placed his elbow on the table, pinched the bridge of his nose, and said, “Are you quite satisfied, Miss VonNiima?” 

Rey ignored him and turned her attention back to Rose. 

“So, what prompted him to finally take residence at the manor?”

“Nobody knows, he keeps to himself mostly. Doesn’t venture out much. Hence the town’s interest in him, I suppose. All we know is that he’s rich as sin and unmarried,” Rose explained. “Mrs. Tenneson ran into him in town. She threw all propriety out the window and asked if he had a wife at home!” 

“Since then, every hostess from here to Cheapside has been trying to get him to step foot into their parlors,” Paige said. “I was hoping an engagement party with many eligible ladies would be enough to tempt him to attend.”

Thanya finally spoke, standing up to mark the end of the meal, “I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow night.” 

* * *

Rey’s feet hurt. 

Rose had taken her around the drawing room to introduce her to all of Paige and Amrie’s guests. She shook hands with doctors, lawyers, and bankers. All of which were polite, but mostly uninterested in a girl from the countryside, still fresh from the schoolhouse. A few of their wives offered to have her over for tea so she could meet their sons. The first hour had been overwhelming to Rey, not being used to such attention from strangers. However, their attentions soon redirected to the happy couple. 

The room was a bit stuffy, but Rey was content distracting herself by people watching from the corner. From here, she could see ladies near her age flirting with young men, giggling and batting their lashes. Hue was at the refreshments table piling sweets onto a napkin while Thanya was whispering amongst some of the other mothers. The opera singer’s voice in the background provided a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere to the evening. 

A group of well-wishers was gathered around Paige and Armie. They all smiled and held up champagne glasses ready to toast to the couple’s health. Paige was hanging on to Armie’s arm tightly to hide the evidence of her imbibing in one too many glasses already. Her pinched expression softened when she looked over at a tall, round man across the room whom Rey learned was Snap Wexley. 

A gasp at the refreshment table made Rey look back. Hue had dropped one of his cakes to the floor. His eyes were wide and trained on the entryway of the room. The empty hand that once held the cake was still up in the air by his face.

Rey saw the others cutting their eyes in the same direction. Curiosity got the best of her. She brought her gaze to the doorway of the drawing room to see who or what could be causing such a stir. Then, she saw him. 

Paige’s description of “tall” was a gross understatement. The man _ towered _. He was broad enough to block out most of the light coming from the candles on the foyer behind him. His clothes were indeed all shades of black. They contrasted boldly with the pale skin of his neck. 

Rey blinked as he removed his hat and handed it to a servant girl who curtsied and took it away. The candlelight shimmered across his raven-black locks when he turned his head to scan the room. His profile was most pleasing, Rey decided. A strong brow gave way to an even stronger nose. The pout of his lips was so pink, it was almost obscene. Dark lashes framed deep amber eyes. Eyes that soon locked solely on Rey. 

“It’s him,” someone whispered behind her.

“Lord Ren.”

Her vision blurred slightly around the edges, leaving only him in focus. A slight buzz started at the base of her skull, making her head feel fuzzy. She reached a hand up to rub at her neck. Her hands and feet felt leaden. It looked as if he made to walk over to her, his weight shifting forward slightly. But, before he could take a step, Paige was in front of him with a sickly sweet smile across her lips. 

Rey shook her head but the dizziness persisted. She made her way across the room slowly, unaware that Lord Ren was still watching her over Paige’s head. A convenient side door that led into the hallway was her reprieve. The cool air of the hallway was refreshing. Rey looked for a place to sit and came up short. Walking through another door and into the library, she sighed with relief when she spied a crushed velvet settee. 

Her head felt much clearer now that she was away from the crowd. It must have been the heat and the excitement of Lord Ren’s surprise arrival that caused her to weaken so quickly. She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and tried not to imagine the rush of adrenaline that had gone through her when his eyes met hers. 

“You look very relaxed, Miss VonNiima.”

Rey jumped from her position in the chair and stood up to see Armie leaning against the doorframe. 

“Just needed a bit of air,” Rey whispered.

“Yes, I’m sure you’re in as much shock as the other ladies. Lord Ren seems to have stolen the spotlight from me and bride-to-be. One look at him and you’re about to succumb to the vapors.”

He closed the door and Rey saw his wrist twist the lock behind him. She tensed when he walked over to stand behind her. 

“No, it was nothing like that. I was simply overheated.”

Cold fingers wrapped around her shoulders. Her heart dropped when she felt Armie pressing himself against her backside. 

“No need to hide your passionate side, Miss VonNiima. A pretty girl such as yourself deserves to indulge every now and then,” he whispered into her ear. 

Rey tried to step away, but he wrapped an arm around her middle. Her pulse quickened. 

“Please, sir, I- I’d like to go back to the party now. Rose might be looking for me.”

He ignored her plea and pressed his cheek against hers. The hand on her shoulder moved further down to play with the neckline of her gown. 

“Nobody is looking for you, sweetness. Only me. And I have a keen interest in what I’ve seen so far. Why don’t you let me see more of you?” 

Both of Armie’s gloved hands moved to loosen the front buttons of her gown. With his arm no longer caging her in, Rey took the opportunity to slam her heel down on his toes. Yelping with pain, he let her go. She ran for the door, but Armie had her by the arm before she could open it. 

He spun her around and slammed her back against the bookcase. Pain erupted across her shoulders as they dug into the wooden shelves. All of his weight kept her from struggling loose from his grip. His face was red and covered in sweat. Ginger hair fell loose across his brow.

“I tried to be kind, dear. Remember that. This could’ve been easier if you had just let me be kind,” he grunted and ripped the sleeve of her gown in his haste to try to remove it.

Rey screamed. 

Suddenly, Armie’s weight was lifted away from her. Rey sunk to the ground and curled in on herself. Realizing Armie wasn’t returning to attack her, she looked up. 

Lord Ren had Armie suspended in the air by his collar as if he was light as gossamer.

“Your definition of ‘kind’ is vastly different from mine, Mr. Hux,” he said.

His voice was deep...gruff...yet eerily calm given the circumstances. 

Rey thought she saw a flash of fangs behind his lips as he spoke. His once amber eyes now a crimson red. Armie’s face turned pale. 

“If I see you lay a finger on this lady again, I won’t be so merciful.”

With that, Lord Ren dropped Armie to the floor.

The ginger man scrambled to the door and clumsily tried to unlock it. He whimpered when the lock would not budge under his panicked touch. Lord Ren sighed and walked over to the door. Armie winced, expecting to be killed after all. But, the lord merely flicked the lock and eased the door open slowly allowing Armie to crawl out and run down the hall. 

When he turned to face Rey, she noticed his eyes were the same deep amber from moments earlier. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Slowly, as if approaching an injured animal, Lord Ren stepped over to her and offered his hand. 

“It’s all right, you’re safe now,” he said, smooth as honey. 

Rey glanced at his hand. There were no claws protruding from his fingertips. Hesitantly, she placed her small hand in his and he lifted her to stand. 

“Thank you, Lord Ren,” she whispered, her voice still shaking from the shock.

“Don’t thank me. I almost murdered a man in front of you just now. Are you injured?” 

No fangs. Just teeth. His eyes scanned her face for evidence of bodily harm, but she shook her head. 

“Just my shoulders,” Rey squeaked. “He pushed me, you see.” 

Rey turned slightly and Lord Ren leaned closer to her to get a better look. He eyed the skin of her back only to find red marks blooming across her shoulder blades. A large rush of air escaped his nostrils and his hand clenched by his side. 

“You will bruise,” Lord Ren growled. “I should find that rat out there and give him a matching one...and a broken back.”

She had no idea why, but she laughed. Lord Ren looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Perhaps she had. No doubt a symptom of the stress she had just undergone. To her surprise, he huffed in what could almost be described as a laugh. He composed himself quickly, but Rey could not seem to stop. As she continued to giggle, his hand absentmindedly reached out to slide the ripped sleeve of her gown back up her shoulder. 

“Rey, what on earth - !” 

Rose was in the doorway. Behind her was Hue, Thanya, and Paige. Armie was standing back in the hallway looking infuriatingly smug. It was then when Rey realized what the scene must look like from the outside. 

Rey had just been caught with Lord Ren...alone in the library..._ looking utterly debauched. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Plot Summary:  
Rey VonNiima sees a mysterious shadow in the garden during her last night at her countryside boarding school.  
She travels to London to stay with the family of her best friend Rose Tico. She meets Rose's parents and her sister Paige, along with Paige's fiance Armitage Hux, who gives Rey the creeps. 
> 
> During dinner, they discuss the mysterious Lord Ren who has the town's attention after moving into a famously vacant manor. The next night, Paige and Armie host an engagement part at the Tico house. Lord Ren appears at the party and Rey feels dizzy, so she goes to the library to sit down and get away from the crowd. 
> 
> Armitage finds Rey and attempts to attack her but is stopped by Lord Ren, who allows him to run away.  
Rey swears she sees Lord Ren with fangs and red eyes when he's fighting Armie. But when Armie is gone, Lord Ren looks normal. He checks Rey for injuries. While he's helping her, Rose and the family catch them in the library looking like they are in a very scandalous position. 
> 
> Come talk to me on Twitter! @MeedaWrites :)


	3. To Wed a Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Lord Ren deal with the aftermath of being caught in the library alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is ready for some good, ol’ fashioned, Victorian shotgun wedding? 
> 
> A very special thanks to EmKay for beta-ing and making this chapter even better! 
> 
> Come talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites

It all happened in quite a blur.

Rey tried to explain but, before she could get a word out, Armie began screaming. He gestured wildly and accused Lord Ren of taking advantage of a country miss who had no experience out in high society. His voice bellowed within the library, his face turning red. In a moment of uncharacteristic anger, Hue grabbed him by the lapel of his jacket. 

“Hush now, man! Do you want the whole party to hear? Go home and sober up,” he grunted.

With surprising strength, Hue shoved Armie out into the hall. Fixing his jacket with a short tug, he returned to usher Rey and the lord to his study. As they prepared to leave the confines of the library, Rey remembered the state of her dress. It was in absolute tatters. If someone out there saw her like this…

She stopped and turned to ask Rose for a shawl, but Lord Ren was already directly behind her shrugging off his jacket. He wrapped it around her shoulders with a grim set to his jaw. 

Placing a polite hand on her back, he walked with her to Hue’s study. Rey didn’t want to cause any more scenes, so she went with him silently, her head bent low. She knew her reputation was at stake, as well as her new home. She prayed that Hue would allow her to explain before deciding her fate.. Behind them, Thanya lifted a disapproving eyebrow, Paige looked on the verge of fainting, and Rose appeared slightly impressed. 

Inside the study, Hue poured himself a scotch, sat at the desk and placed his face in his hands. After a weary sigh, he gestured indicating he wanted Rey and Lord Ren to sit. She felt like a little girl back at school being sent to the headmistress’s office. Except this time, she really hadn’t done anything out of turn. As they sat down, Rey turned to look at Lord Ren. _ How was he so calm about all this? _

Hue took a long swill from his glass then placed it down loudly upon the hardwood desk. Finally, he spoke. 

“It is my responsibility to look after the safety of all who inhabit this house. I’ve spent almost 20 years looking after two girls. I have no doubt that in the past there have been fortune hunters, rakes, and rogues walking through these hallways at some party or what not. But never was there an opportunity for them to take advantage of one of my girls. Until today. Rey, you say the word and I will have this man arrested. I don’t give a fig if he’s a lord or a prince or the bloody king!” 

“No, Mr. Tico, Lord Ren is quite innocent in all this! You see, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. It was Arm–” 

“Then, I suppose all you and I need to settle here is the date,” Hue cut her off by addressing Lord Ren.

Rey was prepared to interrupt again, but a large hand taking her own gave her pause. Lord Ren rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand when he spoke with conviction to Hue. 

“I’ll take care of everything, Mr. Tico. My lawyer can get a special license procured in a day or two,” he said grimly, ignoring Rey balking at his side.

“Surely, that’s not necessary,” Rey supplied.

“See that you do. The longer it takes, the more likely word will spread. After all, we have her reputation to consider,” Hue said with finality.

With that, the two men both stood and shook hands.

Rey sat silently. She came to two conclusions. The first was that nobody in the room was willing to listen to her, and the second was that her fate had just been sealed.

* * *

The next morning, Rey found herself in a shop downtown being pinned and fitted for her wedding dress. She was convinced the seamstress was poking her on purpose. No doubt annoyed that she had just been commissioned with supplying a dress that would have to be ready by that afternoon. Perhaps Rose could give the seamstress a few more shillings to ease her anger. 

Bless Rose. She was the only one who listened to Rey the previous night. After the guests left, Rey and Rose retreated upstairs and laid in her bed. She cried and told her the whole story from Armie following her into the library, Lord Ren’s rescue, and the conversation with Rose’s father. To Rose’s credit, she tried to speak to her father to see if there was anything to be done. 

According to Hue, the only other option would be to send Rey to a nunnery. 

The seamstress stepped out of the room to grab button samples for Rey to choose. Rose stepped up to Rey and placed a length of blue ribbon across Rey’s shoulder. Scrunching her nose she said, “No, too angelic.” 

She switched it out for a deep crimson. 

“Ah, now this one seems more fitting, don’t you think? After all, you are a ruined woman now,” Rose teased.

Rey rolled her eyes in a very unladylike manner and said, “Say it a tad louder, Rose, I don’t believe they heard you in India. Besides, my virtue remains very much intact, no thanks to Mr. Hux.” 

“And all the thanks to Lord Ren, it would seem.” 

The girls settled into a strange silence. Rey could still smell the whiskey from Hux’s breath as he crowded her. He truly was a monster. Perhaps she should be relieved to be married off to Lord Ren instead. She fiddled with her neckline and asked quietly, “Is Paige truly still going to marry him?”

Rose pressed her lips together and sighed. 

“It appears so. It’s difficult, you know, when she can’t know the full truth. The whole town would know by supper. I tried to hint that his drinking may be dangerous, but you’ve seen how stubborn she can be.”

“I suppose,” Rey said, looking at her shoes. 

Rose placed a hand on her shoulder and said,

“Don’t pity her, that’s my responsibility. After all, you’re the one marrying a relative stranger after tea time today. How are you feeling?” 

“Terrified.”

Getting married was going to happen to her sooner or later. Admittedly, it was happening much, much sooner than she anticipated. Not that she was completely unprepared. Wasn’t this the main lesson she was taught at school? How to be a proper lady to attract a well-to-do husband. Mrs. Lovelace would probably be bragging for years that one of “her girls” got married less than a week after leaving the establishment. However, none of her teachers taught her how to navigate marrying a total stranger. Let alone one that was handsome and mysterious...who might also be a monster pulled from her nightmares. 

With a groan, Rey picked up her skirts and sat on the seamstress’s stool.

“Why on earth did he not defend himself from such accusations?! What sort of man am I marrying?”

There was a rustle of heavily starched skirts as Rose gave Rey a pitying sigh and kneeled down next to her. 

“Lord Ren knows how society works in London. It was the best way to protect your reputation. I’d wager he feels like a knight in shining armor doing right by you.” 

“That’s very admirable, Rose, but I have a strange feeling about him.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, her eyebrows knit together.

Rey looked down at her hands, twisting a piece of lace between her fingers until it began to tatter on the edges.

“When he pulled Armie away from me, I-I saw something.”

“What did you see?”

She took in a shaky breath and whispered, “He was wild. Like an animal. He had sharp teeth...and his eyes...For a moment, it seemed they were filled with fire. They glowed red.” 

“Oh, is that all? Rey, darling, you were in the middle of a frightening experience. Plus, you were barely settled a day after your long journey from school. I’m sure you were terrified and exhausted and you imagined those things.” 

Rey nodded, open to Rose’s practical justification of what she may or may not have seen. She _ had been _ rather tired that evening. Her nightmares had followed Rey from her bedroom at school to her new room in the Tico home and she hardly slept the night before the party. 

“Yes, I’m sure you’re right.” 

* * *

This wasn’t exactly how Rey imagined her wedding playing out when she was a little girl. 

The double doors of the Tico’s parlor opened, presenting Rey with a set of somber faces. Hue and Thanya were standing arm-in-arm as they whispered pleasantries with the priest. Rey wondered how much it took to convince him to perform the ceremony here instead of in the church. Next to them, Rose and Paige sat politely on a green velvet couch. Rose had a small bouquet of flowers in her hands. She quickly stood and made her way over to Rey when she saw her enter. 

“You look lovely,” she whispered as she handed the flowers to Rey. A tight smile was all Rey could manage through her nerves. Looking over Rose’s head, she locked eyes with Lord Ren. He was in his signature all-black ensemble and his dark hair was swept back off of his face to tie at the back of his head. The look wasn’t necessarily fashionable, but it certainly caught her attention. 

The look he gave her reminded her of a soldier regarding a raging battle he was just instructed to run into -- a stoney set to his jaw, but a hint of fear in his eyes. It was as if he was accepting his fate in that moment, looking at her. Then, something changed. His gaze took in her figure from head to toe. Rey decided her husband-to-be was quite bold to be looking at her like that with a priest in the room. 

She wondered if he liked her wedding dress. 

Then she wondered why she cared. 

It was a simple, no nonsense design -- nothing like the flouncy confections she had seen in the dress shop. Those types of dresses were for brides who had time on their side. White and plainly cut, the dress had very little embellishment apart from a few guazey ruffles across the bust. Crimson lace ribbon wrapped around her waist, at Rose’s insistence of course. A nod in her direction and a quick twitch of his lips were the only signs that perhaps he wasn’t so terribly disappointed at the prospect of a future lifetime with her. 

Thanya’s impatient voice cut through the room. 

“Let’s get started, shall we?”

The priest cleared his throat and waved Rey to come closer to stand next to Lord Ren before him. Cracking open an old bible, the old priest began the ceremony. However, Rey hardly paid attention -- she was too busy trying to breathe. In a matter of moments, she would be tied to this stranger for life. She would be expected to live in his home...sleep in his bed...birth his children. Cutting her eyes to the window, Rey began to calculate how far she could run before someone caught her. 

Lord Ren cleared his throat and said, “I do,” as he slipped a gold band around her trembling finger.

“Miss VonNiima, please repeat after me,” the priest instructed. 

Rey’s vision tunneled and all she could do was gape at Lord Ren. He looked much more calm than when she first walked into the room. His thumb slowly began to rub the top of her hand, much like he had done in Hue’s office -- a small attempt at comforting her. 

Rey must have said the words, because the next thing she knew Rose was handing her a ring to place on Lord Ren’s finger. The ring in question was a bit too small, for she had to twist it back and forth to get it to slide over the knuckle. Once it was in place, the priest closed the bible with a loud crack, causing Rey to jump.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Lord Ren, you may kiss your bride.” 

The soft rustle of his clothes was all the warning Rey had that Lord Ren was leaning in to kiss her. She closed her eyes and hoped he wouldn’t take too many liberties in front of the Tico’s, especially Paige. Word of her nuptials was going to be jarring enough without the added rumor that her new husband could hardly keep his hands off her in front of the family. 

A brush of warm air fanned across her forehead before his lips pressed there. Rey opened her eyes in surprise. He was well within his right as her husband to kiss wherever he chose. And, yet, he chose the top of her head instead of her lips. Again, Rey found herself asking what kind of man she had married. 

They parted from each other slowly. Rey still a bit shocked at the chaste kiss left on her brow; Lord Ren seemingly not quite ready to release his new bride from his arms. Hue stepped up at the couple and shook Lord Ren’s hand. 

He gruffly said a quick, “Well done, son,” to Lord Ren before turning to Rey and placing his hand on her elbow.

“My dear, I wish you all the happiness in the world. Please don’t be a stranger.” 

On the one hand, Rey wanted to hug Hue and thank him for his kindness -- something she wasn’t used to apart from Rose. Another part of her was itching to kick him in the shins for throwing her at Lord Ren’s mercy over a misunderstanding. She settled for nodding her head and smiling at him. 

Rose hugged her and said, “I’m going to miss you, dearest. Come to call whenever you like.” 

It was then Rey remembered that her bags were already repacked and waiting in the hall to be loaded onto Lord Ren’s carriage.

* * *

Halfway through the journey, Rey began to wonder if she married a mute. 

Her nerves from the ceremony had dissipated slightly. A nervous energy bounced around in her stomach, making her restless. Across from her, Lord Ren was staring out of the window, watching the buildings pass as they made their way to Reveles Manor. Rey had hardly said a word to her new husband since they both climbed into the cramped compartment. 

If he had seemed large in the parlor, he was monstrous inside the carriage. His legs stretched across the cabin and into her space. A particularly big bump in the street caused their knees to knock through her skirts. He had shifted his weight quickly, murmuring a quiet apology. 

That was ten minutes ago and he had not uttered a word since. 

“How much further until we reach the manor?” 

He tore his eyes from the window and looked at her then -- like he had just remembered she was sitting mere feet away. With a small cough, he finally spoke. 

“We should be there soon.”

Before he could look back out the window, Rey grabbed his attention again with another question.

“What does the name of the manor mean? Reveles. I recognized it as Latin but, admittedly, Latin was not my strength back at school.”

Lord Ren squinted slightly at her, catching on that it was conversation she was looking for from him. He crossed his arms across his chest, making the stitching in his jacket strain.

“It roughly translates to _ find _ or _ discover _ something.”

Rey felt elation at finally getting him to speak to her properly. She held back a smile as she asked, “Was your family known for discovering things?” 

“Hmm?”

“Well, the manor has been here for generations, so I hear. I’m assuming it was passed down through your family line,” Rey explained. 

Lord Ren’s brows knit together as he regarded her -- perhaps taken back by her tenacity. He rubbed at his bottom lip before answering, “Yes, the manor is quite old. Many years ago, someone in my family lost something very precious to him. He spent his whole life looking for it. When he built this manor, he named it Reveles hoping one day it would come back to him.”

“And what was it that he lost?” 

He opened his mouth to speak again, but the carriage lurched to a stop. The doors opened and he stepped down, holding out a hand for her to follow. Rey gasped as she took in the sight of the manor. No wonder it had been the center for town gossip for generations. It was absolutely frightening. 

Dark stones piled up into sloped rooftops with twisted spires piercing the sky. Iron gates covered in ivy surrounded the grounds, making one wonder if it was a home or a prison. Rey noticed no light shining from the windows. Overall, the structure was tall and imposing. The irony was not lost on her that the manor looked very much like the man she had just married.

A couple of men stepped through the gate and began grabbing Rey’s bags off of the carriage. Lord Ren took her arm and walked her up to the double doors at the front of the manor. He took a key out of his coat pocket and twisted it in the lock. The doors opened with a groan. A small press on the small of her back from Lord Ren guided her inside. 

“Welcome to your new home, Lady Ren.”

Rey gasped as she stepped into the foyer. It was massive. The ceilings were high and a large, slightly-rusted chandelier hung above their heads unilluminated. In the center of the entryway stood a grand staircase covered in dark red carpeting that led up to a second story. Dust-covered paintings decorated the walls. The oil-painted eyes of the portraits seemed to watch her as she took in the aging home. 

Lord Ren stood still and let his new wife explore. 

“I’m ashamed to admit I’ve neglected the place a bit. It certainly could use a,” he gestured vaguely with his hand, “more feminine touch.”

“It’s interesting,” she said, turning to see Lord Ren with a raised eyebrow. “I quite like interesting.” 

A small woman puttered into the foyer, muttering to herself, but stopped short when she saw the couple. The top of her head would barely reach Rey’s chest. She leveled the two of them with a suspicious glare. 

“Master Ren?” 

“Ah, Maz, there you are. I’d like you to meet my new wife. I was hoping you’d help her get settled for the evening while I finish up some work in my study.” He turned to Rey and explained, “This is my housekeeper Mrs. Katana, but you can call her Maz.” 

The housekeeper looked Rey over once before turning back to her employer. 

“Master Ren?” She asked again, her voice a little more forceful the second time. 

With a sigh, he said, “I’ll explain later.”

That seemed to satisfy the housekeeper for the moment because she waved her hand for Rey to follow her upstairs. Unsure if she was ready to head up to the unknown, the new Lady Ren stood in her spot. She watched as Maz slowly trudged her way up the steps. A deep voice by her ear made her jump.

“Best not to dawdle; Maz is not a very patient sort.”

Her husband was smirking behind her shoulders. He was teasing her— the brute. 

Rey squared her shoulders and nodded a goodbye to Lord Ren before catching up to Maz on the stairwell. 

“Kitchens, dining room, parlor, music room, and ballroom are all downstairs. Servants quarters are below, but the Master prefers we all go home to sleep at night. So, don’t expect any middle of the night services,” Maz mumbled as she trudged up the second floor. 

“Up here are the Master’s quarters, his study, and various guest quarters. Over at the end of the hall is the washroom, and of course the nursery.” 

At the mention of the nursery, Rey slowed her steps almost to a complete stop. The realization hit her like a thunderbolt. _ Oh, right _. 

Tonight was her wedding night. Maz was leading her to rooms where she would wait for her husband to come join her. Rey wasn’t fully ignorant of what happened between men and women, though she was hazy on the mechanics of the act. She knew the act itself was to beget heirs. Would he want to try for children tonight? 

Maz tilted her head and continued down the hall. “Come now, I’ll show you to your quarters.”

They arrived at a large, ornate door with wooden flowers carved into the wood. Maz led her inside and Rey was once again taken by surprise by what was inside. The room hardly looked like it belonged to the house. 

Pale cream wallpaper lined the walls and were contrasted by dark brown furniture. Two lush, blue chairs sat in front of a fireplace. The bed boasted cream-colored sheets and a fluffy duvet. A high canopy spanned over the bed with blue velvet drapes. Late afternoon light poured into the room through three large windows that gave her a view of the front gardens and the city laying just beyond the grounds. 

Everything looked brand new. 

“I hope the room is to your liking, Misses. The Master had workers in here all night sprucing it up. I gave him an earful yesterday about renovating a room that wasn’t getting any use. ‘Course I didn’t know he was planning on bringing home a wife until 15 minutes ago.” 

After spinning a little to take in every detail of the room, Rey managed to answer, “Yes, it’s...lovely.” 

Maz waddled to the fireplace and began to add logs to light them up. 

“If you would like to freshen up in a bath before retiring for the evening, Misses, the washroom is just across the hall. The Master had pipes installed recently. Hot water will fill in the tub like magic just by twisting a knob!” 

Rey’s eyes went wide at the news of the manor having running water. She had never heard of such a thing being in someone's home before. Perhaps at the palace…It must’ve cost a small fortune.

Maz winked, grabbed a towel from the closet, and handed it to Rey. 

“It sure makes my job easier. No more hauling hot water in buckets up the stairs. Go on, I can tell you’re curious. I’ll unpack your things and turn down the bed while you soak.” 

She whispered a quick, “Thank you, Maz,” and scurried towards the washroom. 

Contrasted to her light and airy bedroom, the washroom was designed to be a place to brood. Dark, red wallpaper was illuminated by tall candelabras dripping wax as the wicks burned down. A small, circular window at the top of the ceiling was the only other source of light. The floors were tile the color of onyx– polished to show Rey’s reflection when she looked down at her feet. 

True to Maz’s word, a twist of a knob caused pipes to groan and steaming water to pour in the claw-foot tub. By the time Rey had her dress unbuttoned, her corset unlaced, and her hair unpinned, the water almost reached the lip of the tub. She turned the water off and lowered herself down to sink into the soothing liquid. 

Her skin bloomed with a pink blush from the heat. She wiggled her toes and sighed before scrubbing her arms with a sweet smelling soap. The stress from the day’s events that had settled into her muscles slowly ebbed away. When she was done cleaning, a delicious drowsiness had overtaken her. 

Wrapped up in a towel that felt impossibly soft, Rey stepped out of the washroom and walked straight into a wall of human muscle. A hand splayed across her bare back to steady her. She readied herself to scream for help. 

“Easy now, precious.” 

The amusement in her husband’s voice made Rey gasp in embarrassment. Without looking up at him, she jumped back and clutched the towel closer to her chest. 

“My apologies,” she squeaked and ran back into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. 

Maz whirled around from her work turning down the bed. 

“My, Misses, you look like you’ve just seen a ghost!”

“No, no. It was just Lord Ren in the hallway.”

The room was darker; the windows covered with curtains that matched her bed canopy. A warm glow from the fire helped Rey’s eyes to adjust as she stepped over to the bed. She ran a hand through her hair as her heart rate slowed back down. 

“Ah, he must’ve finished up in the study. Probably shocked him half to death to see his bride naked in the hallway,” she chuckled. “I laid out a nightgown for you to change into.” 

Rey picked up the nightgown and pulled it over her head. A thump on the other side of the wall made her jump. 

“What was that?”

“Don’t fret, it was just the Master entering his rooms. His quarters are adjacent to yours and connect through that door over there,” Maz explained, pointing to a doorway hidden in the wall by the fireplace. 

Rey couldn’t tear her eyes from the outline of the door etched into the wallpaper. If she looked hard, she could see a sliver of light at the foot of the opening. She wrung her hands and looked down at herself.

The nightgown Maz selected was a mint-green slip that she didn’t quite recognize amongst her things– likely a wedding gift from Rose. She resisted the urge to whine when she noticed the fabric was just sheer enough to give a hint of her dusky nipples underneath. If it was up to Rey, she’d be covered in an over-starched cotton sleeping gown and a bonnet. Any relaxation she had gained from the bath was replaced with a pit deep in her stomach.

“You’re white as a sheet, Misses. Climb in bed and do try to relax,” Maz urged. 

Rey did as she was told and settled into the middle of the vast bed, pulled the covers up to her shoulders, and curled her knees to her chest. 

“The Master prefers coffee in the mornings, but I’ll brew a pot of chamomile tea alongside it,” Maz said as she opened the bedroom door leading to the hall. “It’ll help with any...soreness you may feel tomorrow.”

With that, she left the room in a swish of skirts, closing the door behind her. 

Left alone, Rey stared into the fireplace from her vantage point on the bed. She contemplated the series of events that led her to become the new Lady Ren– wrapped in a see-through nightgown waiting for her husband to claim his marital rights. A part of her hoped that Armitage Hux would meet a bloody end for causing her all this trouble. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes. 

Then, Rey heard two strong knocks at the hidden door before her husband appeared and entered the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites


	4. To Wander the Halls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Kylo settle into married life, but Rey can't let go of her suspicions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites

His wife looked cold. 

Her entire body was trembling, despite being buried in blankets. Pale hands dusted with freckles gripped the edge of the sheet and pulled it up to her chin. Those hazel eyes of hers were wide, practically glistening as they followed his steps into her quarters.

_ Oh. _

She wasn’t cold; she was frightened...

...of him.

This wasn’t how he planned things to go. His plans involved flowers and walks in the park–a proper courtship. He planned on charming her, wooing her, making her feel safe and loved again. Instead, that ginger bastard forced him to abandon those plans and marry the girl when she wasn’t ready, barely a day out of the schoolhouse.

What a complete fucking disaster. 

* * *

Rey had the primal urge to flee when she took in the form of her husband. 

How far could she get before he caught up to her with those long legs? Could she fight the hold of his strong arms as he hauled her back into the room? If she screamed, how quickly could he cover her mouth with one of his large hands? Would he pin her down with his broad frame until she stilled beneath him?

“You look frightened.” 

The deep purr of his voice caressed her ears, breaking her from her thoughts. She realized her eyes had been on him through the entire dark daydream of hers. With a shaky breath, Rey finally answered him. 

“Of course I’m frightened; I’m a bride on her wedding night.” 

That earned her a quiet chuckle from him. It wasn’t exactly the reaction she was expecting. He turned and walked over to one of the chairs lounging in front of the fireplace. She heard him mumble something to himself, but only caught the words “different the last time.” 

He dropped himself into the chair with a deep groan that made her cheeks turn scarlet. The pale skin of his neck was exposed when he loosened his cravat and undid two buttons of his dress shirt. As he moved to roll up his sleeves, Rey noticed dark hair spanning across his forearms. Her husband laid his head back and spread out his legs towards the fire. From this angle, Rey could see he was barefoot. It was the most casual Rey had ever seen him—or any man, for that matter. 

“Come warm yourself by the fire, precious.” 

A strong part of her wanted to throw her slipper at him and tell him to just get this whole nightmare over with so she could cry herself to sleep in peace. Why torture her by making this moment longer than it needed to be? She stayed huddled on the bed. In defiance or fear, she wasn’t really sure. 

“If you’re afraid that I’m going to ravish you tonight, you can remove the thought from your head,” he said quietly before turning to look her way, “I only wish to speak with you for a moment. Then I’ll leave you be.” 

Rey felt herself release a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Flinging the covers off her legs, she suddenly remembered how very sheer her nightgown looked before she had climbed into bed. She scanned the room to see if Maz had placed a robe anywhere in sight, but came up short. 

Another blush of embarrassment bloomed on her cheeks when she crossed the room and sat in the chair opposite her husband’s. Rey prayed the firelight wasn’t strong enough for him to notice. However, the way his eyes took in her body and paused at her chest indicated her prayers had fallen on deaf ears. 

Before she could feel the full weight of her humiliation, he cursed and abruptly stood up. Rey tensed, thinking he was going to grab at her. Instead, he walked to the bed and pulled a blanket off the top of the sheets. Within seconds, he had stomped back over to her and wrapped the fabric around her shoulders. Turning his back, he rested a hand on the mantle of the fireplace and kept his gaze firmly on the flames. 

His voice was quiet and measured as he spoke.

“I can only imagine how difficult the past few days have been for you. Moving away from school, living in a new city, being accosted by that fiend, and then being forced to marry another man you hardly know.”

“Yes, it’s been...overwhelming.”

“I hope Maz made you feel comfortable, at least,” he said.

“Oh, yes. She was wonderful.”

“Good. That’s good.” 

A silence fell between the two of them. The only sound was the crackling of the fireplace. Was that all he was going to say to her? Was he going to stand there all evening? This had to be the most awkward wedding night in the history of wedding nights. Rey took a moment to steel her nerves and finally spoke up.

“May I ask you something?” 

“Of course,” he answered, still looking at the flames that danced before them.

Rey’s mouth felt dry. She licked her lips and looked down at her hands, not quite brave enough to face him as she asked the question that had been plaguing her all day. 

“Why did you marry me?” 

Through her lashes, she could see that he was turning towards her again, but he didn’t speak. His silence was frustrating. This entire situation was frustrating. Allowing her anger to fuel her courage, Rey met his gaze. He looked at her with an intensity that made her stomach clench. As he made his way back to his chair and placed his head in his hands, she continued to interrogate him—her vexation getting the better of her.

“Why couldn’t you have just told Mister Tico the truth? If you had, Hux would be in jail and I wouldn’t be bound to a stranger for the rest of my life.”

“Yes, you would have,” he sighed, lifting his head from the cradle of his hands.

That stopped Rey cold.

“Pardon?” 

“Mr. Tico is a fine man, I’m sure,” he began. “However, if memory serves, his threat to throw me in jail was quickly appeased by my offer to marry you. I was a stranger to all of you and yet he practically threw you into my arms, all to save his family name from a scandal. He has two daughters to marry off, Rey. They need to have good standing in this society for that to happen.”

A chill ran down her spine as the reality of his words sunk in. At the time, Rey thought Hue was acting on fatherly instinct—being overprotective of her as his new ward. Had he truly only been thinking of Rose and Paige’s future with no regard for her own? Was she really so foolish to think the Tico’s viewed her as one of the family after only two days?

Her husband sighed, “If I had told the truth that night, Hux would have been sitting in that office with you. Your fate would still have been decided, and you would be spending your wedding night in that bastard’s bed instead of by the fire with me.” 

Rey felt a tear roll down her cheek. She turned her face away so she could wipe it without Lord Ren noticing. For a moment, she imagined what her wedding night with Hux may have looked like, and quickly had to banish the dreadful image from her mind. 

“You married me to protect me from him,” she stated.

“Correct.”

Rey shook her head in confusion and stuttered, “I-I don’t understand. Why would you do that? You didn’t owe me anything after saving me that night.”

The look of pity he gave her made Rey want to thrash and wail at him. She supposed he would have let her, if his pitying glance was anything to go by. Instead, she sat still, waiting for his reply as she willed herself not to cry. Lord Ren’s eyes held her in place for a few seconds before he whispered, “I did it because you deserve to feel safe, Rey.” 

The air must have been sucked out of the room, for she found herself unable to breathe. No one had ever said such a thing to her before. She was too young to remember if her parents had ever worried about her safety in such a way. Hazy memories of a governess and faces of teachers at school came to mind, but none of them had ever said out loud what Lord Ren had just expressed. The fact it was never uttered by someone she loved, but by a stranger, felt like a slap in the face. 

Lord Ren cleared his throat.

“Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss my expectations of our marriage.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

He stood from his chair and began to pace across the rug. His bottom lip was pulled into his mouth as he seemed to search for a way to begin. Finally, he stopped and turned to her. 

“In my travels, I’ve encountered many different cultures. Did you know there’s a village found in China where women don’t take husbands, only lovers? And in America, some Native tribes view their women as equals to men. They’re even allowed to participate in the tribe’s politics.”

Rey looked at her husband as if he’d just grown a second head out of one of his very broad shoulders.

“Er, no I wasn’t aware. What does any of that have to do with our marriage?”

“I know England doesn’t value women or give them much freedom, but that doesn’t mean it has to be that way in our own home. As my wife, I’d like you to feel emboldened to speak your mind with me. I have no ego that needs to be stroked by a woman’s compliance. I’d like you to tell me when you’re cross with me or when you want things.”

“I hardly know what I want,” Rey murmured mostly to herself.

“That’s a symptom of being young and sheltered. You’re a wealthy woman now—use our money to explore your interests outside of what they taught you in that boarding school. Be as frivolous as you like; our wealth and my name will protect you from any salacious gossip.”

Rey wrapped the blanket around her shoulders tighter. She could hardly believe her ears. What he was proposing was freedom, a life of her own not directly tied to his. Lord Ren was giving her choices. It was unseemly and unheard of as far as Rey knew. This all sounded much too good to be real. He must want  _ something _ in return. 

“And...what do you get out of all this,” Rey asked warily.

“Breakfast.” 

“I’m sorry?” 

He smirked and explained, “All I ask in return is that you share breakfast and some conversation with me every morning. If we’re to spend our lives together, we should learn to get to know one another, don’t you agree?” 

“I suppose,” Rey said, nodding at him slowly. 

Lord Ren’s lip twitched in an almost smile. 

“Sounds like we have an agreement. I shall leave you to get some rest.”

Rey was still trying to piece together all that had happened when her husband made to leave the room. 

“May I ask you for one more favor?” Rey asked barely above a whisper.

His feet stopped just as they were crossing through the hidden door. Placing a pale hand on the door frame, he turned his face to the side. He wasn’t quite looking in her direction, but it was plain he had heard her. 

“Anything, precious,” he whispered.

“I’ve come to the realization that we’ve been married a full day and I don’t know your first name.” 

“It’s Kylo.” 

After he slipped back into his rooms, Rey stood and walked to the bed on shaking legs. Once again settled under the covers, she noticed a faint line of light crept from his room, illuminating the edges of the adjoining door. She watched it until her vision swam. Eventually, her exhaustion overtook her and she fell into a peaceful sleep. The first Rey had experienced since she was young. The doorway stayed lit all night.

* * *

Weeks passed and Rey found she was quite fond of married life. Rather, she was quite fond of Kylo’s version of married life. As far fetched as it had sounded on their wedding night, their peculiar arrangement felt like second nature to her now. 

Maz would wake Rey at an ungodly hour every morning by flinging the curtains open, allowing the sun to nearly blind her. Any annoyance she felt was quickly soothed when Maz would present her a tray filled with tea and little sweets by the fire. After her tea, Rey would cross the hall to bathe. Once, she caught Kylo leaving the washroom clad only in trousers and water still dropping from his dark hair. She had gasped and averted her eyes. He was kind enough not to tease her in the moment, though there was amusement in his eyes at breakfast later.

After her bath, Rey would dress and Maz would help pin her hair up. Secretly, it was one of Rey’s favorite parts of the day. The old woman would fuss over her in such a fashion it caused Rey to wonder if this is what it felt like to have a mother. Maz managed to fill Rey in on the gossip milling about her street all with a litany of hair pins sticking out from her mouth. She often made Rey laugh.

And blush. 

Subtlety was not a word in Maz’s vocabulary. Now that Rey was married to her master, Maz felt no need to censor herself on the topic of husbands.

_ “Men have two heads, Missus. The one between their ears and the one between their legs. You can bet they’re often thinking with the southernmost one.”  _

That particular line caused Rey to choke on her tea. 

After readying for the day, she would join Kylo for breakfast. Their first few had been terribly awkward. Neither one of them spoke much, though admittedly Kylo put in more of an effort than she did at first. He’d ask if she slept well, what her plans were for the day, if she needed anything. For her part, Rey kept her answers simple. 

_ Yes, thank you.  _

_ Visiting Rose.  _

_ No, thank you.  _

After the first week, Rey worked up the nerve to ask him the same questions back. She found she really did want to know if he slept well, seeing as how the light from his bedroom was always present. It was hard not to wonder if he ever slept at all. He kept quiet about his day-to-day work which left Rey to imagine he was hiding something. Perhaps he had a gambling addiction. Rey had heard stories of husbands betting away their homes in a game of cards or accruing such a level of debt that they ended up thrown into prison, leaving their wives and children penniless. Then again, she didn’t see Kylo being foolish enough for such a misguided venture.

Despite his mysterious nature, Rey knew Kylo was hardworking. He would spend most of the day in his study. Hours would pass and he wouldn’t emerge until the sun was out of the sky. When he did appear, the ends of his hair would be mussed and sticking about in all directions. It made Rey wonder what exactly he was working on in there. 

During her first morning in the manor, Maz had taken her on a grand tour of every room, except the study. Although Maz never said as much, Rey understood that room was to be off-limits. A private place for her husband to lock himself away to escape the world. Sometimes during the day, Rey would walk by the dark, oak door and entertain the thought of knocking. Would he tell her to come inside or to go away? Both outcomes terrified her.

He never ate much at breakfast time. Her husband seemed content to simply sit at the table and read the newspaper. His eyes would glance up at her from time to time and he’d nod towards a certain dish to encourage her to try it. Rey would hesitantly spoon herself a helping of whatever morsel was being served that morning. Kylo insisted on providing her with exotic dishes he had discovered during his travels. Over the days, her palate was introduced to curried meats, tropical fruits, and baked delicacies the likes of which Rey had never tasted. She decided she was willing to forgive a variety of peculiarities if he would continue to feed her thusly. 

One morning, Kylo walked into the dining room in a freshly tailored suit. His hair was impeccably coiffed and slicked back away from his face. He was dressed to go out for the day. However, it did not escape Rey’s notice that the dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced than usual. Perhaps all these sleepless nights were finally catching up to him. Would it be too forward of her to mention it? 

Before he sat down, he greeted her with a quick kiss to her temple. It was a friendly gesture that he made a habit of doing every morning, and the only liberty he would allow himself when it came to her person. Sometimes, it was accompanied with a hand on the back of her neck. However, he would swiftly remove it before she could decide whether she liked its presence or not. 

Once he was settled at the table, Kylo opened his newspaper and began to scan the pages. Rey liked to watch him as he read. She rather enjoyed the way his eyebrows knit together when he was concentrating. Her husband was altogether very pleasing to look at. But only when he wasn’t aware she was looking.

After turning to the Society pages, he spoke.

“How did the horse riding lessons go yesterday?”

Rey pouted, remembering the disastrous lesson that ended up with her almost being thrown on her rump whilst trying to climb into the saddle. 

“I’ve recently discovered my distaste for horses.” 

Kylo pursed his lips to fight off a chuckle. Clearing his throat he said, “Alright, no more horse riding for you. What was next on your list?”

Ah, her list. It came to be a couple days after their wedding. He had caught her sitting by the window on a rainy day looking especially bored. Politely, he asked her if she had given any more thought about exploring her interests. She had mumbled something about not knowing where to start. With a determined air, Kylo softly took her by the elbow and led her into the library. Gesturing around to the shelves, he said, “Well, here’s a room full of ideas,” and left Rey to her own devices.

She had hesitantly run her fingers across the shelves and sheepishly began to gather titles that intrigued her. Maneuvering herself to a desk, she piled up the books and began to skim them. Soon enough, Rey had found inspiration reading sweeping adventures and illuminating travel accounts. Ink soon met parchment as she wrote down all that she wanted to try. The list started off simple with things like bird watching and learning more Latin. Soon, a giddiness had overtaken her and the listed items became more bold. Woodworking, horseback riding, sailing, and...

“Fencing,” Rey chirped, placing a napkin across her lap. 

“Fencing,” he repeated with a nod, not looking up from his paper. “I can arrange that. I could even give you a few lessons myself if you’re up to the challenge.”

The look in his eyes was almost boyish when he finally matched her gaze. Before Rey could think of a witty response, Maz and a couple of the other servants stepped into the room with silver trays of food. 

“So, what culinary adventure will you be taking me on today, husband?”

“Parisian-style crepes with chocolate and strawberries. I know it’s not the most exotic meal you’ve tried, however I figured I’d fill you with something sweet today.” 

Rey’s mouth was already full by the time he finished his sentence. She looked up in interest and swallowed.

“Why would you figure that,” she asked.

“Because I have some disappointing news and I’ve noticed that sweets make you more agreeable.” 

She wanted to protest but found herself too content with eating the scrumptious crepes to waste her energy arguing with him. With her eyes closed, she chewed and delicately waved her fork in the air, prompting him to get on with telling her this disappointing news. Kylo folded his newspaper and laid it down on the table.

“Some pressing matters have come up and I must leave on business today. I won’t be back in London until tomorrow morning,” he said, searching her face for a reaction.

Rey placed her fork down slowly and said, “Well, I suppose things like this can’t be helped. I know your work is very important to you. Besides, it’s only for one night.”

_ It’s not as if we are sharing a bed.  _

“Yes, which brings me to the second matter I wanted to discuss with you. I’d prefer it if you slept over at the Tico’s house tonight. It will soothe my nerves knowing that you’re with Rose and not in this big house all by yourself.”

“Kylo, I couldn’t possibly ask for the Tico’s to accommodate me overnight on such short notice. However, I already made plans to meet with Rose to go shopping today. She’s always asking me to stay for supper, so I’ll accept the invitation for tonight. By the time supper is finished and I arrive back at the manor, morning will only be a few hours away.

He pursed his lips as he weighed the compromise she just offered. 

“Very well, but I still don’t like the idea of you sleeping in the manor alone. I’ll have Maz and her husband Chewie stay in the servants quarters tonight, just in case. I’ve been meaning to have Chewie do some heavy lifting around here anyways.” 

With the matter settled, Rey went back to enjoying her crepes. 

* * *

“I can scarcely believe you’ve been married almost a month and you have yet to educate me on _marital_ _relations_,” Rose said, whispering the last two words in Rey’s ear as they walked back towards the Tico home. 

“Rose, need I remind you we’re on a public sidewalk?” 

“And need I remind  _ you _ that we promised one another that the first one to be married would tell the other about the wedding night?”

“We were children.” 

“Yet, in a most unfair turn of events, I have as much knowledge on the subject as I did when I was thirteen.” 

The women giggled and stepped into the foyer of the house with a litany of hat boxes and bags hanging from each arm. 

Paige was waiting for them at the door, her eyes wide.

“It’s about time you two returned,” she said with a worried tone. “We’ve been delaying supper for you and now Armie is very put out.”

Rose rolled her eyes and said, “Oh, he can wait a few more minutes while we change for supper.”

“You know as well as I do what his temper has been like lately. Please hurry,” Paige huffed and marched back down the hall.

As they were headed up the stairs, Rey asked, “What was all that about?” 

While they were changing, Rose filled Rey in on Armie’s peculiar behavior. He was nervous and often prone to lashing out at those around him. Small noises made him jump and he was constantly looking over his shoulder. His patience had been worn thin. Rose chalked it up pre-wedding jitters, but Rey had other suspicions.

When they finally sat down at the supper table, Rey was unfortunate enough to be sat across from Armie. Steel-blue eyes traced her movements as she placed her napkin on her lap. 

“So, Lady Ren, where is your husband this evening? Does he still think himself too high and mighty to grace us with his presence?”

Paige grabbed his wrist under the table and whispered loudly, “Armie, hush!”

“My husband would have been more than happy to join this evening if he wasn’t out of town on business matters,” Rey said before turning her gaze to Hue and Thanya. “He wanted me to extend his apologies.”

“We’ll have plenty more suppers, my dear,” Hue chuckled, hoping to cut through the tension. 

Armie took hold of his knife and began twisting the point into the table. 

“And what business is your husband in, exactly? It was my understanding that his wealth was so immense that he would hardly be required to work.” 

Rey had to train her face to mask her anger. As much as she wanted to break a plate over his head, she knew it would be best to remain calm. She could play the mousy housewife in front of the Tico’s.

She patted her mouth with the napkin and said demurely, “Mr. Hux, do forgive me, but I’m not at liberty to answer that. You see, my marriage is very traditional and it is not my place as a wife to be involved in financial matters.”

Paige giggled and turned the conversation back to polite topics. Armie leaned down and whispered only to Rey, “Is marrying a stranger a day after you were found fornicating in the library what we’re calling traditional these days?” 

“Let’s not forget the events that led me to marrying him, Mr. Hux.”

His face reddened with anger. A twitch began under his eye and he sneered, “Has he bewitched you?” 

“Pardon?”

“Don’t act coy with me, Lady Ren. You know as well as I do that you’re married to a beast.” 

“And Paige will be marrying one in a few days. God save her.” 

Armie stood and slammed his hands down on the table, causing their glassware to tremble. The entire party of eyes fell on him in shock. He sucked in a few breaths before uttering, “Apologies, but I am not feeling well. I must go.” 

* * *

Rey nibbled on her fingernail as the carriage pulled into the manor. Seeing Armie again put her on edge and she suddenly felt very comforted knowing she wouldn’t be alone in the house as she slept this evening. A footman helped her out of the carriage. 

The house was dark when she entered and her shoes echoed against the walls. With a quick glance, she surmised Maz had already gone to bed. Rey took herself upstairs and into her bedroom. 

The fireplace was already burning, a nightgown was laid out on the duvet, and her bed had been turned down.  _ Bless Maz!  _ She readied herself for bed and settled herself down on the pillows. 

Unfortunately, sleep eluded her. Armie’s words rattled around in her mind. 

_ What business is your husband in, exactly? _

_ Has he bewitched you? _

_ You know as well as I do that you’re married to a beast. _

It was true enough that she was ignorant of Kylo’s day-to-day business. But how could Armie know of her deeper suspicions that her husband wasn’t all that he seemed? Rey huffed and whipped the covers off her legs. This was madness.

Biting her lip, she decided there would be no harm in doing some investigating to ease her mind. Her imagination was simply running wild. Once she saw all the mundane papers and ledgers in his study, she’d come back to bed and never question it again. 

Quietly, she rose out of the bed and tiptoed down the hall. Maz had left a few candles burning for when she got home, but now they were burned down to nubs. They barely cast a glow across the hardwood of the hallway. The light flickered on the oak door that guarded Kylo’s study. 

Metal hinges groaned when Rey twisted the knob and pushed against the wood. She was surprised to find that Maz had lit a fire in here, as well. Did she expect Kylo to get home in the wee hours of the morning only to go back to working? 

The room was large and aged like the rest of the manor. Dark wooden shelves covered most of the wall space. They were filled with books, the spines worn and dusty. Rey moved from the doorway and crept over to look at them closer.

Her brows furrowed. She traced her finger down the shelf as she read the titles to herself. 

_ Historic Dictionary of Magical Cults _

_ Herbal Cures and Potions _

_ History of Vampyres, Demons, and Witches _

_ Occult Physics _

_ First Hand Accounts of Reincarnation _

_ Blood Magick _

_ Anthology of Witchcraft and the Occult _

_ Alchemy, Mysticism, and Immortality  _

With trembling hands, she slid one text out of its resting place and cracked the pages open. Notes littered the pages. Ink underlined passages discussing vampiric lore, blood magic, and immortality. Illustrations portrayed beastly men with glowing eyes and sharp fangs protruding from behind their lips. Rey’s breathing became shallow. She quickly put the book back and walked over to lean against the desk to regain her composure.

Her fingers found purchase against the desk. Hair hung in a curtain around her face as her heat slowed back down. A rustle of papers underneath her hands caused Rey to open her eyes. She grasped one between her fingers. 

A name. Repeated over and over across the page. 

_ Snoke. Snoke. Snoke. Snoke. Snoke. _

The ink was ruddy. A deep rust brown that reminded her of dried...blood. 

Another groan from the door hinges made her freeze. 

“Kylo?”

“A pleasure seeing you again, Lady Ren.”

Armie’s voice cut through the air. Rey twirled around to see him staring at her from the shadows as he pushed the door closed and locked it. Her stomach flipped. 

“How did you get in here?” 

He stepped over to the fireplace. Removing his hand from his pocket, he grabbed the fire poker and began to stoke the flames. Small sparks flew into the air around his legs.

“I came straight here after taking my leave at supper. I had to know for myself what kind of demon attacked me that night. You’ll never understand the level of vindication I felt when it was all laid for me in here.” 

“I want you to leave.” 

“No, no, I still have some questions for you,” Armie said as he stalked over to her and grabbed Rey by the arm. “What does he do to you? Seduce you with his dark magic? Does he drink your blood?”

His fingers wrapped around her jaw and forced her chin up. Pain bloomed under his grip as he tilted her face from side to side. What on earth was he looking at? 

“It seems your husband has made it a habit to be discrete with his appetites. No matter, I’ll just have to look further.” 

Rey whined and tried to twist out of his grasp when she felt his other hand reach down to pull up the hem of her nightgown. Armie used his weight to push her further into the desk to still her struggles. Bile rose in her throat when his rough fingers grazed the inside of her knee. He looked down to examine the pale skin he had just exposed. The muscles in his face began to twitch when he didn’t see what he was looking for. 

He released her with a growl. A loud thudding resounded in Rey’s ears. She watched him pace by the fireplace muttering nonsense to himself.

“Still human, but married to a devil….Should dispense of her before he has time to turn her...Need something quick…” 

Armie stilled, staring at the fireplace. He wiped sweat from his lips with the back of his hand and grabbed the iron poker that was still in the flames. Rey could feel the heat of the red glowing tip when he advanced towards her again. She screamed in fear and in hopes that someone in the house would hear her. The thudding in her ears grew louder.

Suddenly, the door burst off its hinges and fell against the floor. Armie halted and turned. Rey focused on the figure in the doorway. Kylo was there, in only his trousers and a half buttoned shirt. His shoulders were heaving in rage. His eyes were red. His fangs were glistening. In three strides, he was across the room and had Armie by the throat. 

  
“What did I tell you about touching  _ my wife _ ?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites


	5. To Witness a Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey’s heart hammered in her chest as her senses tried to catch up with the turn of events. 
> 
> Kylo was here.
> 
> Kylo was between her and Armie.
> 
> Kylo was angrier than she’d ever seen him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been an embarrassingly long time since I've updated this fic and all I can do is apologize!! I'm inspired to write again and I'm hoping to update this fic much more regularly now. :) Thanks to all who have waited so patiently.
> 
> Also, I didn't get this chapter read by a beta so typos are...most likely sprinkled in there.

Rey’s heart hammered in her chest as her senses tried to catch up with the turn of events. 

_ Kylo was here. _

_ Kylo was between her and Armie. _

_ Kylo was angrier than she’d ever seen him.  _

A gurgle came from Armie’s throat as he dangled from Kylo’s grasp - his boots swinging helplessly a couple feet off the ground. The hulking mass of her husband’s back as he apprehended her would-be murderer was all Rey could see. His form provided an impenetrable barrier. One intent on only her safety...and vengeance for what Armie had just attempted. 

“I warned you.”

His voice had taken on a deeper, coarse timbre. Rey swore she could feel the vibrations from Kylo’s words inside her own chest. She took a timid step towards him and placed her shaking hand upon his side. Kylo quickly ripped his gaze from Armie’s reddening face and Rey gasped at the sight. 

Red eyes. 

The same red eyes she’d seen from the Tico’s balcony. The same red eyes she spied the first time he rescued her from Armie’s violent tendencies. The same red eyes she told herself were figments of her imagination. Those red eyes were looking at her now. 

Rey reeled from the shock of it all and stepped back from her husband. The hard edge of the sette pressed against the back of her legs. Clutching the tattered front of her nightgown, she sat- keeping her eyes on the two men.

The fire cast their forms into silhouettes; reducing them to two actors in a dark play of which Rey was the only soul to witness. Rey could almost pretend this was simply a nightmare playing out before her. If it was, she could overlook her inability to find the courage to stop what was about to unfold. 

Armie managed to spit, “Demonic beast!”

“The only  _ beast _ in this room is you. I gave you a chance to slink into the shadows last time, Hux.” Rey heard the ripping of fabric as Kylo tightened his grip. “My patience has run out.” 

“Don’t you see? I wasn’t here to harm her. I had to free her soul before you could taint it!” 

“Enough,” Kylo bellowed.

“I’d kill her a thousand times over if it meant she would be spared from turning into a hellish creature such as yourself! Curse you, devil!” 

The air in the room changed in an instant. A cold chill spread up from the base of Rey’s spine. She gripped her nightgown even closer to her breast in a paltry attempt to stave off the dread. Rey spied a smirk forming on Kylo’s lips - the firelight glinting off his long fangs as he slowly looked Armie in the eye. 

“Devil, you say,” he chuckled darkly. “I think you’ll find in this instance I’m much, much worse.” 

In an instant, Kylo’s jaws clamped around Armie’s neck. Armie only had a brief chance to gasp before Kylo ripped the flesh in a single, violent thrash of his head. 

Rey felt the sensation of raindrops cascading against her cheeks and chest. For a moment, her mind questioned if a window had been left open. Yes, a storm must be passing through and the rain was being blown into the room. What confounded her was  _ how the rain could feel so warm _ . She touched her temple and gathered some of the moisture on her fingertip. It was only as she brought her hand down to glance at it that she realized it was blood. 

Armie’s blood. 

When she looked up again, Kylo was standing over Armie’s body - his eyes trained to look for any further signs of stirring. It would seem Kylo intended to ensure Armie was well and truly dead. Rey had no doubt the deed had been done. She watched as his blood puddled across the floor and into the fireplace, hissing as it touched the flames. A rustle of skirts caused both Rey and her husband to look to the doorway. 

Maz stopped her venture into the room when she saw the door in pieces and Armie’s lifeless body slumped at Kylo’s feet. Rey expected her to scream. She expected a whirlwind of chaos and more bloodshed. Instead, Maz simply rolled her eyes and sighed. 

“Chewie is going to have a fit when he sees the mess you made of this door. Not to worry, though, he and I shall get all of this,” she gestured towards Armie, “sorted by morning. You best be cleaning yourself up, Master. And the Missus will require a bath. I’d be happy to assist her w-” 

“ _ I  _ will take care of her,” Kylo stated, finally turning his head towards his wife, but unable to look her in the eye.

“Of course, Master,” she said. “I’ll be off to fetch Chewie then.” 

“Thank you, Maz. Your discretion, as always, is most appreciated. Expect a sizable bonus added to your wages this month,” he sniffed with finality. 

“You’re too kind, Master.” With a bob of her head and a last sympathetic glance towards Rey, she left the two alone. 

As if approaching a wounded creature, Kylo held a hand out towards Rey to show he meant her no harm and stepped closer to her trembling form. 

Her face turned up towards the ceiling as she quietly wondered aloud, “Has it stopped raining?” 

“Yes, Rey. It’s done now,” he whispered after clearing his throat. The chill of the floor left her feet as he gently gathered her up in his arms. “Let’s clean you up, shall we?” 

A small part of Rey’s mind told her to struggle. It told her to run for her very life back to Rose’s house and not let this blood-soaked fiend near her. But that part was muffled by the white noise of shock. 

Cradled in a warm embrace, Rey vaguely noticed they were headed down the hall. All she could focus on was counting the days since someone had held her like this. Not since she was young. The two faceless forms of a man and woman whom she could hardly remember appeared in her mind.  _ Her parents. _ What would they think of where life had taken her? 

“No need to cry. I won’t hurt you --  _ never _ you.” 

At the sound of Kylo’s voice, Rey blinked. 

They were standing in the washroom. At some point, Kylo must have placed her down. A decadent foam of bubbles swayed atop the steaming water in the tub next to them. Rey could smell the soft scent of rose oil. He had run her a bath. 

The weight of Kylo’s arms around her was a strange comfort as she came back to herself slightly. His chin rested atop her head as he rubbed soothing circles into her shoulders. 

“You’re safe now, Rey. Gods, I’ll never forgive myself for leaving you alone and unguarded.”

Rey could only nod weakly. 

“You’re covered in blood, darling. I’m going to help you bathe.”

Her hand clutched at his shirt -- the only sign she could give him that the prospect made her nervous.

“I’ll keep my eyes closed until you’re under the water. I promise.” 

He stepped back a fraction, showing her that his eyes were indeed shut tight. Dark lashes brushing across pale skin. Rey bit her lip and began to pull her tattered nightgown over her head. The rustle of fabric alerted Kylo that she was ready to accept his help. He held out his hand to lead her to the tub. 

“Step in slowly now, the water will be very warm.” 

A soft sigh fell from her lips as she was enveloped in warmth. The bubbles softly tickled the skin of her arms and the tops of her knees. Kylo’s hand left hers. The sound of wood scraping across the tiles found her ears. 

When Kylo next spoke, the timbre of his voice came from behind her. 

“No sudden moves, dearest. I’m opening my eyes so I can scrub your hair.”

She pulled her knees tighter to her chest in an attempt to protect her modesty. Looking down at the water, she could see swirls of pink floating about her.  _ Oh, yes, the blood.  _

“Kylo, what happe-”

“Shh, we’ll discuss everything in a moment.”

Rey nodded silently. The sensation of his fingers threading through her hair made her shoulders release the tension they were holding. Whatever concoction he was working into her locks smelled of honeysuckle. 

“Kylo?” 

“Hm?”

“Thank you for coming when you did.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he handed her a cloth and stood.

“It looks like Maz left a fresh nightgown in here for you before she left. I’ll be in my chamber. Come see me when you’re ready.” 

It didn’t take long for her to slide the rough cloth across her skin to remove the rest of Armie’s blood. The act helped Rey’s mind catch up to her reality. Images of the notes and books she’d seen in his office came flooding back to her. Down the hall, her husband was waiting to confirm her fears. 

She was tired of being in the dark. 

She wanted to know the truth.

Rey stepped out of the tub and donned the nightgown. She stopped first in her chambers and grabbed her robe. It was made of a deep green silk. Kylo had gifted it to her saying it would compliment her eyes. Was this a gift from the man or the monster? 

With a steadying breath, Rey knocked on the adjoining door to Kylo’s chambers. 

“Come in,” he clipped. 

She walked across the threshold into his space. His rooms were dark, but inviting. Warm mahogany furniture sat in various places across the room. Burgundy carpeting and curtains adorned the floors and window. A raging fire was burning in the marble fireplace creating a warmth that rivaled the bathwater Rey had emerged from moments before. 

The bed that rested against the main wall was dressed with a black coverlet, matching burgundy sheets, and velvety throw pillows. It was almost obscenely large. Then again, so was Kylo.

A splash of water pulled Rey’s attention. 

He was standing at a water basin, scrubbing the blood from his mouth and neck. He must have washed his body before she entered, for he was wearing a fresh pair of trousers and little else. The firelight glistened off the skin of his back and emphasized the musculature that rippled just underneath. 

“Take a seat by the fire.” 

Rey did as she was told. She watched him pull on a clean shirt and come over to kneel by her chair, putting them eye to eye. He reached a hand out and tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. 

“Precious one, I’m so sorry.” 

She grabbed his hand and pulled it down to her knees, cradling it in both her hands. 

“Just tell me the truth. What are you?” 

“I’m your husband.” 

“Kylo…,” she began to admonish him. 

“No, Rey, please let me start there. I’m your husband. I have been your husband for almost 400 years.” 

“How is that possible?” 

“It’s...rather complicated. You and I were married long ago, but I lost you. You died. I was so overcome with grief I begged a sorcerer named Snoke to perform magic. He said it would help me bring you back. I was hoping for a miracle.” 

Kylo stopped to gauge her reaction. 

“Go on.” 

He continued with a sigh. “What he did wasn’t a miracle. It was a curse. He restored your soul and sent it to another age. In return for the  _ favor _ , he took my soul and turned me into what I am now. I have walked the earth for 400 years living as a blood-thirsty creature -- a vampire,” he spat.

“You sacrificed your humanity for me?”

“I’d make the choice again and again. My only regret is that I couldn’t save you both.” 

“Both?” 

“There was a baby, not yet born.” 

Pain bloomed in her chest from a feeling she could hardly describe. Somehow, this part of his story was the worst to bear. A tear rolled down her cheek as she realized that in another life, she was happy, she was loved fiercely, and she had  _ a real family _ . 

Barely above a whisper, she asked, “How did you find me?” 

“At first, I traveled from village to village asking after you, but to no avail. I’d seek you out, come up short, and then slake my bloodlust before making my way to the next village. That went on for years. Eventually, travel between nations became easier...more accessible. I went to the ends of the earth for you, dearest. I  _ tried _ .” 

“There were darker times where I felt so hopeless. I feared finding you was a false hope Snoke had planted in me to further torture my endless existence. Then, in the late 1600’s, I found myself in Salem. A coven of witches were in hiding for the obvious reasons. I offered to protect them from burning in exchange for an education in magic.” 

“They taught me well, allowed me to read all their magical texts. Some still sit in that library down the hall. It gave me a new start. It became clear that I couldn’t find you with determination alone -- I needed the help of magic.” 

“For decades, I employed the most powerful witches I could find to assist in my search. In that time, I accrued quite the fortune, so I traveled back to England and built this estate. Then about 50 years ago, there was a breakthrough. A witch named Allya came to the manor to offer her services if I gave her a horse. She performed a scrying ritual stronger than I had ever seen to charm a mirror. As she was riding away, Allya said I’d see you in the mirror when you arrived.” 

“When I arrived?” 

“Trust me, I was as confused as you are now. Unfortunately, magic doesn’t attract the most detail-oriented sort of folk. In any case, I continued to travel often given my...dietary needs, but I carried that mirror with me everywhere. Twenty years ago, I was in India when it finally happened.”

“But twenty years ago, I was…” 

“An infant,” Kylo confirmed. “In that mirror, you looked so small. But I knew it was you. All red-faced and screaming as if you knew you had been ripped through time and didn’t belong. The miraculous thing was, I could see you in the mirror whenever I wanted.” 

“You...you watched me?” 

“It didn’t take too long to figure out you were in England. I came back to the manor as soon as I realized. But figuring out exactly where in this damn country you were took me a few years. When I had finally seen enough clues to locate you, your parents had just passed.” 

“And you didn’t collect me?” 

“I knew it wouldn’t be fitting to bring you here to raise you knowing one day I’d want to…,” he stopped himself from finishing that thought. “Well, I figured it would be best if I kept my distance. I had waited 400 years. A couple more didn’t seem tortuous, knowing I could ensure your care from afar.”

“Do you mean to say my governess, the boarding school, my new dresses -- that was all you?” 

“Yes.” 

A silence fell across the room. Rey stared at the wall as she processed all that Kylo had told her. It was absolute madness. And yet, it all made sense to her somehow. Finally she turned to look back at Kylo.

“So, all the dark tales children are told are true? Sorcerers, vampires, witches?” 

“All quite true...give or take a few embellishments.” Kylo sighed, “You’ve been through so much tonight. Perhaps you should go to your rooms to sleep. We can talk more in the morning.” 

The thought of being in a room alone in the dark frightened her to the core. Her world was upside-down. She stared at him wide-eyed and shook her head. “I don’t want to be alone.” 

The admission sat between them for a moment. His eyes searched her face. Where he should see terror and confusion, he found only trust.

“You can sleep in here with me. Not that I do much sleeping with this curse, mind you. But I could read by the fire as you rest.”

“Thank you, Kylo.” 

He hummed as he stood and offered her his hand again. The velvet throw pillows were quickly tossed to the floor and the midnight duvet pulled down so she could climb in. Kylo turned to grab a book, but a timid hand held his wrist. 

“Could you lie beside me until I fall asleep?” 

“Of course.” 

The sheets rustled as he shifted himself onto the bed by her hip. With a little groan, he wrapped an arm behind her head and held her to his side. Rey gave a soft yawn and said,

“I’m beginning to think I fainted in that ballroom when I saw you and this has all just been a dream.” 

“Not a nightmare?” Kylo asked with an eyebrow raised up and a sarcastic smirk. 

“Not exactly. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a protector in my nightmares.”

His arm tightened around her. “You’ll always have a protector, Rey. Tonight was the last time you’ll ever be in danger. I promise you.” 

She shifted to look at him. This man, this creature vowing to keep her safe from the darkness of the world. A darkness he knew too well for too long. Rey pressed a hand to his chest and lifted herself up enough to press her lips against his. 

He made no move but to soften his jaw to let his lips more easily slot against hers. When she pulled away, he was looking at her with astonishment. 

“Thank you for...everything. Good night, Kylo” 

Then she laid herself back down on his shoulder. 

“Good night, Rey,” he whispered, still a bit shocked by the lingering feeling of her lips against his. 

Pressed against him, Rey thought of all that Kylo had done in her life. He kept her sheltered, clothed, and fed. Her education had been the best money could buy for a young woman. Despite her lonely childhood, she had wanted for nothing. Not only that, he saved her from harm in more ways than could count. It dawned on her that she could return his kindness. 

As sleep overtook her, Rey decided that it was  _ her turn _ to do the rescuing. 


End file.
